Spindle bar mounting bracket and the like



Nov. 14 1950 B. w. OLSON SPINDLE BAR MOUNTING BRACKET AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2, 1949 Nov. 14, 1950 B. W. OLSON SPINDLE BAR MOUNTING BRACKET AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet? riled Dec. 2, 1949 Aifa/" Patented Nov. 14, 1950 SPINDLE BAR MOUNTING BRACKET AND THE LEKE Buford W. Olson, Minneapolis, Minn, assignor to Chas. Olson 6 Sons, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application December 2, 1949, Serial No. 130,642

7 Claims.

My inventiion relates to means for mounting spindle bars and the like on utility trucks for use in laying electrical cable and like operations.

In the laying of some types of electrical cables, particularly in underground installations, a spool of said cable is mounted in a truck body and dispensed therefrom at the point of installation. To facilitate the dispensing of the cable, it is desired to feed the same from the mounted spool over an idler pulley mounted for rotation and free axial sliding movements on a spindle bar extending transversely of the truck above the rear end of the body platform, preferably near the top of the truck. When the vehicle is used. for other purposes, it often becomes necessary to remove of brackets as set forth having means thereon for locking in their operative positions canopy anchoring rods extending longitudinally of the truck body at opposite sides thereof.

Another object of my invention is the provision of bracket means as set forth, which are inexpensive to manufacture and install, efiicient in operation, rugged in construction, and durable in use.

Other highly important objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a utility truck having my novel supporting brackets attached thereto, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in end elevation as seen from the line 2-2 of Fig, 1;

Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged fragmentary View, partly in section and partl in side elevation, taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Figv 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail as seen from the line 4. i of Fig. 2, some parts being broken away and some parts being shown in section; and

Fig. 5 is an axial section, taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral I indicates in its entirety the conventional utility truck of the type used in electrical service work, such as laying electrical cable, repairing power lines and equipment, etc. The truck I includes front and rear wheels 2 and 3, respectively, a cab i, and a body portion 5 comprising the usual rectangular platform 6 and rigid side frame or wall members 1 and 8.

A spool 9 is illustrated as being journalled in suitable bearing brackets l6, one of which is shown, and carries a length of electrical cable or the like I I. The cable I I, when being installed, is dispensed from the spool 9 over an idler pulley I2 journalled for rotation and free for axial sliding movements on a spindle bar i3 extending transversely of th truck body i at the rear end thereof. The spindle bar I3 is loosely secured in a pair of socket forming brackets M and I5, the former of which is rigidly secured to the upper rear corner portion of the side frame member I, and the latter to the upper rear corner portion of the side frame member 8, by bolts or the like I6.

The brackets I l and I5 are respectivel provided with opposed sockets I? and it, which are adapted to contain opposite end portions of the spindle bar IS. A plate or bar I9, welded or otherwise rigidly secured across the top of the bracket M forms one wall of the socket I7 and permits movements of the engaged end'of the spindle bar with respect thereto, only in a direction substantially axially of the spindl bar It. The socket ill of the bracket 55 opens both horizontally toward the opposed socket I I and upwardly, whereby to permit upward movement of the end portion of the spindle contained therein, radially of the axis thereof. Such upward movement of the last-named end of the spindle bar I3 out of the socket I8 permits the opposite end thereof to be drawn axially outwardly of the socket IT.

The end of the spindle bar I3 supported in the socket I8 is provided with an axially-outwardly opening recess 20, which isin axial alignment with a restricted opening 25 in an end wall 22 f the bracket I5 when the spindle bar I3 is supported in the socket IS. The restricted opening 2i extends through the end wall 22 and forms the interior of a sleeve integrally formed with the bracket 55. A look pin 24 is mounted for axial sliding movements in the opening 2|, the inner end thereof being extensible; and retractable into and out of the recess 20 in the spindle bar (see Figs. 4 and 5). A handle-equipped finger is rigidly secured to the intermediate portion of the lock pin 24 and projects radially outwardly therefrom through a bayonet slot 26 in the sleeve 23. As shown, when the lock pin 24 is rotated onits own axis and moved axially from its recess-engaging position, illustrated by full lines in Fig. 5, to its retracted position, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, the adjacent end of the spindle bar [3 may be moved radially upwardly out of the socket [8, after which the spindle bar may be drawn axially out of the socket I! for disposal in a convenient location on the truck. This arrangement provides unrestricted access to the rear of the truck body and permits loading and unloading of other equipment without interference. Remounting of the pulley-equipped spindle bar 13 is quickly and easily accomplished by moving the same axially into seating engagement of one of its ends with the socket IT, and dropping the other end radially into the socket 18, after which the lock pin 24 is moved to its full-line position of Fig. 5, the inner end thereof being extended into the recess 20 of the spindle bar. The lock pin 24 in the bracket 15 and the plate IS on the bracket l4 prevents accidental removal of the spindle bar 13 from the sockets l8 and H thereof.

A protective canopy-like cover 21, preferably of canvas or the like, is arranged to overlie a truck body and is supported by a plurality of arched ribs 28 which extend transversely of the truck body 5 and have their opposite ends rigidly but detachably secured to the opposite side frame elements 7 and 8 in a suitable manner. As shown, the canopy 21 is stretched over the ribs 28 and at its opposite side edges is formed to provide longitudinally-extending loops 29 through each of which extends an anchoring rod 30. Said anchoring rods 30 have their front ends longitudinally slidably receivable, one each in each of a pair of laterally-spaced brackets 31, one of which is shown, rigidly mounted on the side frame sections 1 and 8 adjacent the cab 4 of the truck. The rods 30 may be tubular or solid, but, in an event, are provided at their rear ends with axially outwardly opening recesses, which are adapted to receive lock pins 32. The lock pins 32 are each mounted for rotary and free axial sliding movements in aligned apertures through pairs of spaced ears 33, one pair projecting laterally outwardly of each bracket l4 and I5 and formed integrally therewith. Opposite pairs of ears 33 are connected by integrally-formed reinforcing ribs or the like 34, which are notched adjacent the forward ears, as indicated at 35 to receive one of a pair of handle-equipped fingers 36 that project radially outwardly, one each from each of the lock pins 32 between the ears 33. The lock pins 32 operate to secure the rear ends of the anchoring rods 30 in the same manner as the lock pin 24 secures its cooperating end of the spindle bar l3. When the lock pins 32 are projected forwardly so that their front end portions engage the recesses in the rear ends of the anchoring rods 30, the fingers 36 are registrable with the notches 35. Rotary movement manually imparted to the lock pins 32 causes the fingers 36 to be received within said notches, whereby to prevent axial movement of the lock pins 32 in a direction to become disengaged from the anchoring rods 30.

The novel construction and arrangement of parts above described has been found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the objectives set forth; and while I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it should be understood that the same is capable of modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a truck body having a generally rectangular platform and laterallyspaced rigid side frame members and cable spool mounting means on said platform, a pair of cooperating socket-forming brackets secured to the rear end of said side frame members in opposed relationship, one of said sockets opening horizontally and the other thereof opening horizontally and upwardly, a spindle bar seated in said opposed sockets and displaceable axially with respect to one of said sockets and radially upwardly with respect to the other, an axially opening recess in the end of said spindle bar end seated in the upwardly opening socket, a restricted opening in the end wall of said last named socket axially aligned with the recess in said spindle bar, and an extensible and retractable lock pin mounted for sliding movements in the restricted opening of said bracket for movements into and out of said recess.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the bracket having the upwardly opening socket therein is provided with a guide sleeve for said lock pin, said guide sleeve being provided with a bayonet slot and said lock pin having a finger projecting radially outwardly therefrom through said bayonet slot.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 in which each of said brackets is provided with spaced bearing lugs which project in opposite directions longitudinally of said spindle bar, said bearing lugs being vertically spaced with respect to said restricted opening and lock pin, each pair of bearing lugs having openings on aligned horizontal axes, and in further combination with a pair of laterally-spaced brackets at the front end of said truck body, each of said last-mentioned brackets having a rearwardly-opening socket in axial alignment with one of the said pairs of openings in said bearing lugs, a pair of canopy anchoring rods having their front ends receivable one each in one of said sockets, the rear ends of said rods having axially outwardlyopening recesses therein, and a pair of lock pins slidably mounted one each in each pair of aligned openings in said bearing lugs, the front ends of said lock pins each being movable into and out of the recess in an adjacent anchoring rod.

4. In combination with a truck body having a generally rectangular platform, laterally-spaced rigid side frame members, a displaceable canopylike top, and cable spool-mounted means on said platform, a pair of cooperating socket-forming brackets secured to the rear end of said side frame members in opposed relation, one of said sockets openin horizontall and the other thereof opening horizontally and upwardly, a spindle bar seated in said opposed sockets and displaceable axially with respect to one of said sockets and radially upwardly with respect to the other, an axially-opening recess in the end of said spindle bar seated in the upwardly-opening sprocket, a restricted opening in the bracket end wall of said last-named socket axially aligned with the recess in said spindle bar, an extensible and retractable lock pin mounted for sliding movements in the restricted opening of said bracket for movements into and out of said recess, a pair of spaced bearin lugs on each of a said brackets, each pair offsaid lugs projecting in opposite directions longitudinally of said spindle bar, each pair of said lugs further having aligned openings therethrough on horizontal axes, a pair of laterally-spaced brackets at the front end of said truck body, one each' of said last-named brackets operatively associated with one of the brackets at the rear end of said side frame members, a pair of canopy anchoring rods having their front ends removably secured to said bracketsat the front end of said truck body, the rear ends of said rods beinglprovided with axially outwardly-opening recesses, and a pair of lock pins slidably mounted one each in each pair of aligned openings in said bearing lugs, the front end of each of said lock pins being axially movable into and out of the recesses in an adjacent anchoring rod.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 in which the brackets at the front end of said truck body are provided with rearwardly-openin sockets one each in axial alignment with the openings in one of said pairs of bearing lugs, the front ends of said anchoring rods being receivable one each in one of said last-named sockets.

6. The structure defined in claim 4 in which the bracket having the upwardly-opening socket therein is provided with a guide sleeve for said spindle lock pin, said guide sleeve being provided with a bayonet slot and said pin having a finger projecting outwardly therefrom through said bayonet slot.

7. The structure defined in claim 4 in further combination with fingers projecting radially from the lock pins for said anchor rods and engageable with notches in said first-named brackets whereby to prevent axial movements of said lastnamed lock pins in their extended anchor rodengaging positions.

BU'FORD W. OLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patentr UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,952,738 Vogl Mar. 27, 1934 2,180,987 Larsen Nov. 21, 1939 25 2,294,757 Larsen et a1. Sept. 1, 1942 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,529,738 November 14, 1950 H BUFORD W. OLSON It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 3, line 26, for the Word prevents read prevent; column 4:, line 60, for spool-mounted read spool-mounting; line 71, for sprocket read socket; column 5,1ine 10, for end read ends; and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of April, A. D. 1951.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

